US stocks close mixed amid economic data

New York: US stocks ended mixed as investors digested a slew of newly-released economic data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Tuesday fell 26.72 points, or 0.10 per cent, to 25,887.38. The S&P 500 dropped 0.37 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 2,832.57.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 9.47 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 7,723.95.

Eight of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors closed lower, with utilities down more than 1 per cent, leading the laggards among the groups. Health care and consumer discretionary rose 0.78 percent and 0.50 per cent, respectively, outperforming others.

On the economic front, new orders for US manufactured goods edged up 0.1 per cent in January, following a 0.1 per cent December increase, the Department of Commerce reported Tuesday.

The reading, another sign pointing to slower economic growth, fell short of economists’ estimates of 0.4 per cent increase polled by MarketWatch.